Propelling means for vessels.



T.B.TAYL0R.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR VBSSELS.

APPLIOATIO FILED AUG. 17, 1906.

Patented Nov.`2,19o9.

4 suns-SHEET 1.

/N VE f7@ @um a 9' BY; Ano/mem a o v o c o n u u @www T. B. TAYLOR.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

n APPLICATION I'ILBD AUG. 17, 1906. 938,91 1 Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

e o e e n o n Awami.

] W/fNESS 'OQ #ma T.B.TAYL0R. PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

APPLIOATIN FILED AUG.17, 1906.

Patented Nov, 2, 19.09.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T.B.TAYL0R.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSBLS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17. 1906L Patented Nov. 2, 1909.4

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

w/NEssES- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' THOMAS n. TAYLOR, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909. Application led August 17, 1906. Serial No. 330,940.

938,911, Specification of Letters .Patent.

w To all whom it may concern.' My invention consistsI in the parts, im-

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. TAYLOR, a provements and combinations more particu- 55 citizen of the United States, and a resident larly set out in the claims. of New York city, county and State of New Referring now to the drawings, in which York, have invented new and useful Imtwo distinct embodiments of my invention provements in Propelling Means for Vessels, areillustrated, the same reference numerals of which the following is a specification. are used to indicate corresponding parts 60 The object of my invention is to provide throughout the views. a means for propelling vessels in which a Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view plurality of propellers are used for propelof a vessel showing the propellers and reling the vessel, and in which, in the best emciprocating engines for driving them. Fig. bodiment of the invention, said propellers,v 2 is a detailed view, partly in longitudinal 65 are rotated in opposite directions in driving section, showing the means for su sporting the vessel forward, means being also prothe propellers. Fig. 3 is a detai ed view 15 vided for reversing the direction' of rotation illustrating a form of shaft coupling. Fig.

of one or both of said propellers, in order to 4 is a view of the means used to connect one back the vessel. of the reciprocating engines with its shaft. 70

In accordance with my invention I make F ig. 5 is a view, partly in longitudinal secuse of a lurality of propellers of opposite tion, illustrating another form of my invenpitch andpprovidelsuitable engines for drivtion in which turbines are used. Fig. 6 is a ing these propellers in opposite directions, in longitudinal section illustrating a turbine order to propel the vessel forward. and its connectlons to its shaft. Fig. 7 is a 75 In one form ofmy invention I make use side view in'elevation, of one of the reciproof turbines for this purpose, and in another @ating engines. Fig. 8 is a transverse secform of the invention I make use of reciprotion giving another View of the engine cat-ing engines. 'When using the turbine shown in Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail form of engine I am enabled to do away views illustrating the means for operating with the reversinfr turbine now in use in prothe clutch. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of pulsion systems for vessels. In accordance one of the reciprocating engines illustrated 30 with this form of my invention both of the in Fig. l. Fig. 12 iS a View of a form 0f turbines are normallyactive and one of them propeller mechanism adapted to clear itself is used when it is desired to reverse the diby Cutting sea grass, etc. rection of movement of the vessel. lVhen I make use of a plurality of propellers, using reciprocating engines to driveA the propreferably two in humb, WhCh are desig- 35 pellers, onevor both of these engines are connated by the numerals 1 and 2. These prostructed so that they may be readily repellers are of opposite pitch, as clearly illusversed, that. is to say, so that they may trated upon the drawings. lVhen one of readily reverse the direction of rotation of these propellers is driven in one direction and the shafts with which they are connected.' the other in the reverse direction, they com- 40 In both forms of my invention I directly bine in their action to propel the vesselforconnect the prime movers or engines to the ward. If one of these propellers is brought shafts that they are designed to rotate. to rest or reversed, and the other propeller By this means, I avoid the loss of'power rotated in a direction opposite to its normal and uncertainty of action due to intermedirection of rotation, the vessel will back.

45 diate gearing and secure improved reli- Suitable means are provided for carrying ability of action. The means for dividing the propellers and for transmitting power one shaft and connecting the two shafts tofrom the engines to them. In the best emgether and to one engine may be employed bodiment of my invention I provide a holwith reciprocating engines when it. is deemed low shaft 3, which carries one of these pro- 50 desirable to avoid reversing `the engine pellers, and another shaft 4, preferably solid,

' movement; and the improvement may be within the shaft 3, which carries the other employed equally well with turbine engines propeller. The propellers are secured lto or with reciprocating engines. their shaft in any desired manner. As illustra-ted in the drawing, the shafts are tapered and provided'witli hubs (5 with flattened surfaces 5. A nut 7 secures the hub to its shaft, and bolts 8 secure.the propeller blades `to their hubs. The slifaft 4 passes through the shaft 3, and bushings 9, and adjustable stuffing box 11 are piovided within the shaft 3 to support and guidetlie end of the shaft 4. A suitable stullingrbox 12 is used to mountthe hollow shaft 3- in the stern post 13, through which the shaft projects in entering the water. Thrust bearings 14 and 15, one for the hollow shafta'iid the other for the other shaft, are provided to take up the thrust of the propellers.; These bearings are ofthe ordinary form. Q;

In one embodiment of my invention I make use of a flexible shaft coupling between the sections of the shaft. The construction of this coupling 16 may be widely varied. I have illustrated one form of this coupling in detail in Fig.,3, in which the coupling for the inner shaft is mounted within the coup ling for the hollow shaft.. In the forni of coupling shown in Fig. 3, the two parts of the shaft 3 have secured thereto coupling flanges 17 provided with suitable perfoiations 18.. Pins 19 provided with conical bases and rounded headspass through the openings in the coupling flanges. The coupling for the inner shaft is constructed in the same manner as the coupling for the hollow shaft. The reference numerals 17, 18;l and 19L refer to the corresponding parts of the inner -shaft coupling. Fly wheels 20 and 21, one for each shaft are provided in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings.

In accordance with my invention I make use of a plurality of engines for `driving the shafts carrying the propellers. These engines are directly connected to the shafts which they rotate. By this means' certainty and reliability of action is secured without disadvantageous loss of power. In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown reciprocating engines 22 and 23 for driving the shafts. In the form illustrated gas or explosion cngines are used. Either one or both engines are constructed so as to be capable of reversing, that is, of reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft which they rotate. The engine 22 and its connections is illustrated more fully in Figs. 4, 7 and 8, and the eng'ine 23 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 11. As shown in Fig. 11 the gas engine, which is of an ordinary well known form, consists of a two cycle engine driving the shaft 4 by means of the piston 24, connecting rod 25, crank pin 2G and crank disk 27, the latter being mounted in a closed chamber 28. A earbureter 29 supplies gas to the engine, which gas is exhausted at 30. The igniter is introduced through the tube 31. The admission port is lettered 32, and the Water jacket 33. The two cycle engine can be readily reversed and will run in opposite directions by suitably starting the engine ,through the ily wheel 21. By this means the propeller 1 may be rotated in either direction so as to either advance or back the vessel.

The gas engine 22, in the form illustrated in the drawings, is a four cycle engine, which may be provided with means for reversing if desired. The piston of this engine reciprocates a member 34 which as illustrated upon the drawings takes the form of a yoke straddliiig the shaft 4. This yoke is guided at 35 by suitable ribs or ways, which are bolted by means of bolts 36 to the uprights 3T carrying engine cylinder 38. 1n order to overcome the difficulty of driving the inner hollow shaft directly from the engine, and without introducing disadvantageous gearing, I have provided the following means. Yoke 34 is provided with ways 39 which support and guide a block 40 that travels along saidv ways 39, as the yoke reciprocates. The block 40 is slidably mounted on said ways by means of gibs 41 secured to the block by bolts 42. The block is made in two halves and is mounted and secured to a crank pin 43 by bolts 44. The crank pin 43, in the best. embodiment of my invention, connects the two cranks 45, one of which is secured to the hollow shaft 3, and the other is mounted in a suitable bearing. The bearings for the different shafts and connections between the engine 22 and its shaft are clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7. Standards 46, which are suitably bolted to a base plate, are provided with bearings 47 which contain antifriction metal 48. One bearing 47 supports the hollow shaft 3 and the other bearing supports the crank 45, the prolongation 49 of this crank fits into the bearing. The inner shaft 4 is preferably supported within the hollow shaft at this point by suitable bearings 50. Caps 51 are secured by means of bolts 52 to the standards 46 and inclose the bearings. I prefer to make use of tubular members 53 to inclose the propellers 1l and 2, and I also provide a rudder 54 with rudder post 55, the front end 56 of the rudder extending within the tube. This contributes to the etlieiency of the propelling and steering mechanism.

In the embodiment'of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 6,9 and 10, I make use of turbines for driving the propellers. In accordance with my invention. I have done away with the expense and difficulty of propelling vessels by means of turbines which arose from the fact that an additional turbine was required to reverse the direction of movement of the vessel. In accordance with my invention, the turbines that I use are normally active and always rotate in the same direction. In their ordinary operation they drive the vessel forward. NVhen it is desired to back the vessel, suitable means are provided, which will now be described, which means connect the propellers withone of the turbines in such a way as to reverse the direction of rotation of the propeller. The turbine thatI use may be of any de` sired form. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the shaft 4 passes freely through rotor 57n of the turbine. T his rotor is provided with the usual blades 5S and is supported by bearings 59, 00, 01 and 62 inthe usual manner. Bearings G0 and (i1 serve as supports for the hollow shaft and bearings 59 and 02 serve also as stuliing boxes to prevent the escape of steam from the turbines. The steam is supplied to the turbine from the boiler 63, the lire box of which is provided with an ordinary funnel 64. Steam is admitted from the steam dome 65 by means of the steam pines G0 through throttle valves 67 to the turbine at the inlets 68. The steam exhausts at 69. The turbine illustrated in the drawings has three drums of different radii so as to use the steam expansively.v In order to balance the turbine against end thrusts, balancing chambers, steam passages and balancing disks are provided in the usual way. Thus the balancing chamber 70, steam passage 71, and balancing disk 72, balances the end thrust of the steam upon the largest drum. Similar means including the passages 73 and 7 4, Fig. 6, are provided for the intermediate drum and the smallest drum.

As clearly shown in the drawings, rotor 57l is directly and rigidly connected to one part of the hollow shaft 3 so as to rotate the shaft. This part of the shaft 3 will drive the propeller 2 by means of the clutch 75. This clutch may be of any desired construction. Another turbine 70 is provided to drive the inner shaft 4. The construction of this turbine is of any ordinary form, as for example. thee form that has been illustrated as the one used for driving the shaft 3. When the vessel is advancing turbines 57 and 76 drive propellers 1 and 2 in opposite directions and this made possible by giving the propellers opposite pitches with respect.- to each other. The shafts 3 and 4 are then rotated in opposite directions. lVhen it is desired to back the vessel, means are provided whereby ther propeller secured to the shaft 4 may have its normal direction of rotation reversed. The'means for accomplishing this result may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

As illustrated, one of the clutch members 77 of the` clutch 75 is constructed/so as to `7slidably engage a sleeve 78 which is integralwith the hollow shaft 3. This sliding connection is obtained by means of keys 79,.

attached to the sleeve 78 by bolts 80. The keys 79 slide in ways 105. Suitable means r examination of Figs.V G, 9 and 10. By rotating the hand wheel 89 the clutch member 77 may befreciprocated always remaining inf engagement with the hollow shaft 3.

The shaft 4 is provided with suitable means so as to enable itI to be coupled and uncoupled from the shaft 3. This means may be Widely varied. As illustrated in the drawing 1 make use of keys 91 which are rigidly attached to the shaft 4. These keys may be made to engage with corr pending recesses in the clutch member77, when the latter is reciprocated. A

It will now be apparent that although the 'shaft 3 can be driven in one direction only by its turbine, it can be made to reverse the direction of rotation of the propeller attached to the shaft 4. This is accomplished by sliding the clutch member 77 so as to disengage the clutch and thus stop the rotation of the propeller 2, and then sliding the clutch member 77 farther so that it engages the splines 91 and thus rotates'the shaft 4 from turbine 57 through the intermediate agency of the shaft The propeller 1 attached to the shaft 4, which normally was'being driven in one direction, now has its direction of rotation reversed.

In order to automatically stop the turbine driving the shaft 4 before the direction of rotation of the shaft 4 is reversed, I provide means for shutting the throttle of turbine 76 during the unclutching operation when the hand wheel 89 is turned. A ratchet 89a, bar 89h, rack 8. C and pinion 89d, transmit the movement from the hand wheel S9 to the wheel 67 of the throttle valve.

Fig. 12 shows two reversely driven propellers and 101, whose adjacent surfaces 10:2 meet so as to form shears. The ropeller 100 is mounted on a shaft 103 and the propeller 101 on a rotatable sleeve 104. By these means, when the propellers are running over a grassy bottom, they,l will cut the grass and clear themselves.

The operation of myinvention will be obvious from the above description of the construction and operation. My invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular constructions and relative arrangements of the parts hereinV 'shown and described nor to any particular form of apparatus by whichthe invention may be carried into effect, as many changes may bemade in the construction and relative arrangement of the parts as required to adapt the apparatus to the circumstances of ioo the particular application of the invention or to meet the personal views of the engineer employed to carry the invention into effect without departing from the main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

-l. In a boat or vessel the combination of twb separate, independently acting engines, two concentric shafts, a direct connection between one engine and one shaft, a direct connection between the second engine and the second shaft, two independent propellers of respectively opposite pitch, one on each shaft, and means for dividing one shaft, stopping one engine and connecting said shafts together.

Q. The combination in a boat or vessel of two separate, independent engines, two conshaft, two independent, separate propellers,-

one on each shaft, and means for disconnecting one propeller from its shaft and connecting the other propeller to said shaft.

a. The combination in a boat or vessel of two independent driving engines, a hollow shaft driven by one engine, a shaft in concentric relation to the first shaft driven by the other en ine, a propeller wheel for each shaft, flexibIe couplings in each shaft, at coincident points and means for disconnecting one of said shafts from its engine.

5. The combination in a boat oil vessel of two independent driving engines, a hollow shaft driven by one engine, a shaft in concentric relation to the first shaft driven by the other engine, a propeller wheel for each shaft, flexible couplings in each shaft at coincident points, and bearings for the inner shaft in close proximity to said couplings, said bearings being supported upon the interior of said hollow shaft.

6. The combination in a boat or vessel of two independent driving engines, two concentric shafts, one driven by each engine, two propellers, one for each Shaft, means for disconnecting the first propeller from its shaft, for automatically stopping the engine of the second shaft and for connecting the first shaft to the second propeller in the order named.

7. rIhe combination in a boat or vessel of two concentric shafts arranged parallel with the keel; two propellers of op osito pitch, one for each shaft; two independent engines, one for each shaft, and means to divide one shaft, automatically stop the engine of the other shaft and couple said shafts together on the engine side of said divided shaft.

S. The combination in a boat or vessel of a hollow shaft, a shaft arranged. concentric therewith, two propellers of opposite pitch, one for each shaft; two independent engines, one for each shaft; and means to divide the hollow shaft, to automatically stop the engine of the other shaft and to connect the engine of the hollow shaft to the propeller of the inner shaft.

9. The combination in a boat or vessel of two shafts arranged parallel with the keel, two propellers of respectively opposite pitch, one lixed' to each shaft; two independent driving engines, one for each shaft located in a fore and aft line at successive points on said shafts and means for disconnecting one propeller, stopping one engine and coupling said shafts together.

10. The combination in a boat or vessel of suitable driving engines, two concentric shafts arranged parallel with the keel; two propelling wheels, one fixed on each shaft, said wheels being of opposite pitch arranged in the same fore and aft line and having their adjacent faces in close proximity to form shears.

1l. In a vessel the combination of two propellers of opposite pitch, a hollow shaft connected to one of said propellers, a shaft passing through said hollow shaft and connected to the other propeller, a reciprocating engine directly connected to said inner shaft, a crank connected to said hollow shaft, a reciprocating engine for driving said hollow shaft, a member reciprocated by said engine, a crank pin connected to said crank, a sliding connection between said crank pin and said reciprocating member, and means for disconnecting one of said engines.

l2. In a vessel, the combination of two propellers of opposite pitch, a hollow shaft connected to one of said propellers, a shaft. passing through said hollow shaftand coniiected to the other propeller, a crank connected to said hollow shaft, a crank pin connecting said crank, a block mounted upon said crank pin, a reciprocating member, an engine for reciprocating said member, said member being provided with ways along which said block travels.

13. In a vessel` the combination of two propellers of opposite pitch, a hollow shaft connected to one of'said propellers, a shaft passing` through said hollow shaft and connected to the other propeller, a crank connected to said hollow shaft, a crank pin connecting said crank, a block mounted upon said crank piu. a rt-ciprocating member, an engine ior reciprocating Said member, said member being` rn'ovidcd with wayS on which Said block travels. and menne tor lguiding; said reciprocating member.

Ll. ln a vessel. the combination ot' two propellers of opposite pitch, a hollow shaft connected to one of said propellera. a shaft passing through `said hollow Shaft :intl tonnet'ted to the other propeller. a crank connected to said hollow Shaft, a second crank, said second crank beingmounted in a bean ing in line with lsaid irst named crank, a crank pin between Said cranks, a block mounted upon Said crank pin, a reciprocating` member, ways connected to said member, said block travelingr on Said ways, and an engine tor reciprocating said member.

l5. In a vessel, the combination of two propellers of opposite pitch, a hollow shaft carrying one of said propellers, a shaft carrying the other propeller and passing through said hollow shaft, a reciprocating engine connected to Said last named shaft, a crank connected to said hollow Shaft., a, second crank, hearings for the hollow shaft, bearings for thefSecond crank in line with said tirst named bearings, thel shaft passing through said hollow shaft also passing through l-said bearings, a crank pin connecting the two cranks, a block mounted upon Quid c-anl pin, a reciprocating yoke strad (lling said inner shaft, said reciprocating yoke beingy provided with waya` upon `which Said block travels.

y In testimonyY whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribingr witnesses.

THOMAS B. TAYLOR. VitneSSeS:

GEO. M. HARrns, D. HAROLD BUSH 

